GIS as a tool for strategic risk reduction and decision making in Fire Services in the Mopani District Municipality

Abstract

There are many people who have encouraged and assisted me over the years. To each and every one who has supported me on this journey, especially my family, I am most grateful. My father, Bernard Altenroxel, sadly did not get to see me finish this journey. I dedicate this dissertation to his memory. To all those in Fire and Rescue Services and Disaster Management who have provided me with the opportunity to test new ways of exploring spatial data, thank you for your patience and trust. Kobus Visser, Vincent van der Westhuizen, Beryl Monakisi, Ludwig Stemmett, Ntsako Lambane and Wynand Els, I'd like to extend a special word of thanks for all the valuable advice and support over the years. In memory of Hannes Steyn, who encouraged my studies and with whom I could debate issues around disaster management for hours. His wisdom and passion for disaster management instilled a fire in me for the public service and his endless self-sacrifice and dedication served as an example to be followed. To Kristel Fourie and Prof. Cilliers, thank you for all your advice and support. I could not have completed my journey without your guidance. Last, but not least, a special thanks to Tony Long who set me on this journey of discovery and study many years ago. Your wisdom and encouragement have kept me motivated to keep learning and to keep moving forward.

Providing an effective and efficient fire and rescue service in rural South Africa is a daunting task. There are many aspects of service provision which must be considered as well as key legislation and standards which guide policy implementation. The use of incident data collected through the disaster management information management process provides the platform for this study on location and resource allocation planning for Mopani Fire and Rescue Services. GIS (Geographical Information System) is used as a tool to visualise demand, undertake network analysis and to understand other spatial characteristics which can be used to inform choices on station location and resource needs. The linkage to disaster risk management and the use of collaborative networks is also considered, with particular focus on improved capacity for disaster risk reduction in the Mopani District.